Landowners challenge order

THE landowners of Kutubu PDL 2 project area are in court fighting to set aside a restraining order granted by the National Court on April 15, 2016, which has restrained any payment of royalties and equities to them to date.
Members of the Namo’aporo Landowner Association (NLA), Foe Landowner Association and Southern Highlands provincial government are restrained from benefits of Kutubu PDL 2 project area.
The Yaferaka Incorporated Land Group (YILG) obtained the restraining order in April, 2016, after it claimed to the court that it owned 80 per cent of the project affected area. The Yaferaka ILG claimed the Kutubu project area was commissioned under the Petroleum Act and they were the most impacted and affected ILG in the whole of PDL 2 Petroleum project.
When it obtained the restraining order in its originating summons, it claimed that there was an absence of proper social mapping and landowner identification studies conducted by the Department of Petroleum and Energy and the state.
However, the majority of NLA members are prejudiced by the court orders and want them set aside.